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Pets can be both fun and expensive. Here are some tips from DealDash to care for a pet on a budget.

Having a pet is a rewarding experiencing, but it is also a major responsibility. Many people want to have a pet, but they may think that it is too expensive to have a cat or a dog. There are many ways to care for your pet on a budget. If you are considering getting a pet or if you already have one, here are some tips to care for your pet on a budget, from DealDash.

Keep a Close Eye on Your Pet

Keeping a close eye on your pet will help you care for your pet on a budget. The fewer injuries that your dog or cat has, the more money you save. You should keep your dog on a leash, and supervise him when he is outside or around other animals, so he will not get hurt. With cats, it’s important to keep them indoors. This will save them from accidents and being attacked by other animals. Keeping a close eye on your pet will help you save money in the long run.

Do the Basics

Many people want to leave the grooming to the professionals when it comes to their pets. Taking your pet to the groomers can put a damper on your finances. You should try to do most of the work such as brushing his fur and teeth regularly and checking your pet’s paws and trimming his nails down. Taking care of your pets grooming needs will help you care for your dog on a budget. With cats, it’s important to brush them often if they have long hair, and give them a nail trim every few weeks.

Choose the Right Foods

You should never sacrifice the quality of your pet’s food. Your pet needs the right food to survive and stay healthy. Some ways to save money on food are looking for discounted prices and cutting coupons. Many food banks also sell dog food if you are on a tight budget. Utilizing these methods for saving money on dog food will give your pet the care that he needs. For cats, using a grain-free food is important, because their diet should be mostly protein. There are a few new cheaper foods out that are grain-free, just check your local big box store.

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Taking care of your pet does not have to be stressful. If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to caring for your pet on a reasonable budget.

Thanks so much for reading this DealDash article on budget pet care. Don’t forget to check back every day for new articles here. Also read our sister blog, DealDash Tips. We love to hear from our readers, just leave a comment down below.

If you’re getting a pet you will need supplies. Go check DealDash for cat and dog items. DealDash has all of the animal things that you need. Visit DealDash now to see how much you can save. Have a great time on DealDash and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Summer is coming, why not throw a summer party? Let DealDash help you keep things on budget with these tips.

Summer is the perfect time for parties. Whether you are having a beach party or a party inside, you need to have a budget. Many people want to throw the most impressive party of the year, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do that. Here are some tips to throw a summer party on a budget, from DealDash.

Make or Buy Cheap Invitations

Unless you are sending out wedding invitations, you can use simple invitations to let your guests know about your party. Your party does not always need paper invitations. Just simply sending out an email invitation can have the same effect. You can also create an event page on Facebook so that everyone can RSVP. Another idea might be to make your own cards. All you need is a stack of construction paper, a printer, and a little time and creativity.

Budget Your Decorations

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on decorations. Instead of getting stressed out about not having fancy china, you can mix and match bowls with different designs. If you are having a fancy party and you want place cards you can use everyday items and use a sharpie to write the guests name. For a centerpiece, you can use candles from the dollar store. You don’t have to blow the budget to still make things nice. A few discount bouquets of flowers from the grocery store will look great, and make things into a party atmosphere. Additionally, if you would like to have balloons at your party, the dollar store has helium balloons, and quite a large selection at that!

Cheap but Tasty Food

Instead of cooking the most expensive meat or dessert you can easily budget your money by using appetizers. You can create your own appetizers by adding dip with vegetables, and fruit. If you are tight on money, you can have a summer potluck. When you have a potluck, your guests bring a dish, and you can cook the main dish. Saving money on food will help your budget. Also, you could skip the real food altogether and throw a make-your-own ice cream sundae party. It’s a lot of fun, delicious, and the guests will love it.

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You can have a blast throwing a summer party. These tips will help you enjoy your party even more all while saving a lot of money on party supplies, food, and invitations.

Thanks so much for reading this DealDash article on throwing a summer party on a budget. Don’t forget to check back every day for new articles here. Also read our sister blog, DealDash Tips. We love to hear from our readers, just leave a comment down below.

Are you trying to have a party on a budget? Visit DealDash and get some party supplies. Visit DealDash now to see how much you can save. Have a great time on DealDash and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Groceries are something that you can’t just skip for a month like eating in restaurants. Here are some tips from DealDash to budget for your grocery shopping.

We all need food to survive. Over the years the cost of food has risen substantially. Many people around the world have had a hard time-saving money on food. To save money on groceries, you have to have a budget. Without a budget, you can potentially be losing a lot of money every month. It may seem hard to stick on a budget when you are tight on money. Here are 3 ways to budget money for groceries, from DealDash.

Clipping Coupons

Using coupons to save money on groceries is the smartest thing you can do today. People use to just cut coupons out of newspapers, but now there are new ways to use coupons. For example, you can download a stores smartphone app for coupons. Make sure you keep the newspaper coupons in a coupon folder. Coupons will save you a lot of money on groceries. Just be sure to buy only things that you would buy anyway – don’t buy something just because you have a coupon for it!

Buy Store Brand (Generic) Items

Another way to save money is to buy store brand products such as a Walmart or the supermarket’s brand. It is cheaper than buying name brand products, but it still has the same great taste. Almost all foods have a store brand version. Buying store brands will make a difference in your budget for groceries. Of course, there are always a few foods that taste better as the name brand. However, it’s smart to give each one a try to see what foods you can save money on by getting the store brand instead.

Make a List

Making a list will help you stick to a budget. It is so easy to buy anything and everything when you don’t have a list of what you are going to buy. Make sure you make your list in order based on what you are going to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When you make a list, you will have an easier time sticking to your budget. You will also find that this makes shopping much easier and faster as well. Save time and money, win-win!

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Saving money on groceries does not have to be difficult. Remember to never go to the store hungry and always focus on saving money instead of buying expensive brands. When you have a budget for food, you will never have to worry about running out of money.

Be sure to come back every day for new articles on this blog as well as on our sister blog, DealDash Tips. If you have any requests for specific articles, please write a comment down below.

If you are shopping for kitchen items be sure to check DealDash first. DealDash also has gift cards for the whole family. Visit DealDash now. Thanks for reading, and see you on DealDash, everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t have a BBQ. Here are some tips from DealDash to have an awesome budget BBQ.

Backyard BBQ’s are one of the most popular activities to do during the Spring and Summertime. The weather is getting warmer, so most likely you would want to enjoy the fresh air. Throwing a BBQ is an extraordinary way to enjoy the weather and bring family and friends together. Some people think that you have to spend a lot of money on BBQ food and activities. That is not true. Here are three ways to throw a barbeque on a budget, from DealDash.

Save Money on Meat

You can’t have a BBQ without meat right? When you are throwing a BBQ, you might be tempted to buy the top-quality cuts of meats, but that can eat up your budget. You should go for ground beef instead of buying steak and purchase hot-dogs instead of expensive sausages. Your guests will still love the food although you are saving money. If you simply must have steak for your BBQ there are many cheaper cuts of meat such as a 7-bone steak or a petite filet that you can purchase instead of ribeyes.

Activities for Entertainment

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on activities. If you want to entertain the kids you can have a water balloon toss, blow bubbles, or just put on some music and dance. Make sure you just enjoy yourself and talk with your family and friends. It does not have to be expensive to create some activities for your BBQ. If you want to personalize the day you can make a special playlist for your BBQ that will get everyone dancing.

Ask Your Guests to Help

It is important to ask your guests to bring a dish to share, potluck style. You can cover the main dish, grilled meat, but your guests can cover the side dishes. This will help you save money on food. If your guests have any dietary need or allergies it is important for them to bring food that they can eat. If your guest isn’t much of a cook you can suggest that they pick up some bottled water and soda for the BBQ.

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Throwing a BBQ is an exciting activity to do. These tips will help you save a lot of money on the things that you would need for a BBQ. If you follow these tips you will have a BBQ that you will always remember.

Thanks so much for reading this DealDash article on BBQing on a budget. Don’t forget to check back every day for new articles here. Also read our sister blog, DealDash Tips. We love to hear from our readers, just leave a comment down below.

Do you want to get outdoor items from DealDash? Go check DealDash for grilling and BBQ items. DealDash has all of the things that you need to cook. Visit DealDash now to see how much you can save. Have a great time on DealDash and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

There are lots of budget-friendly ways to have fun. Here are some tips from DealDash for budget-friendly entertainment.

There are so many options to choose from when it comes to entertainment. You could go to the movies, go out dancing or have fun at an amusement park. Life is boring without entertainment, and it is a very important part of everyday life. You have to have fun once in awhile. Most people think that you have to have a lot of money in order to have a good time. That is not always the case. You can save money on entertainment and still enjoy yourself. Here are 3 tips to save money on entertainment, from DealDash.

Attend Free Activities and Events

Now that the weather is getting warmer there will be a lot of free events in your hometown. You should take advantage of free concerts, street fairs, carnivals, and block parties that are within your community. Some activities have free days such as museums and zoos. It is best to keep an eye on your local newspaper or city website for free events. Many cities even have an email list that you can sign up for to get weekly free activity updates.

Use a Different Cable Method

One of the easiest ways to entertain yourself is to watch TV. Cutting the cord will help you save a lot of money on entertainment. Instead, use different subscriptions such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime features movies and your favorite TV shows as new episodes are available. You will not miss traditional cable when you switch to these alternatives. Also, you can simply rent, borrow, or purchase DVDs and Blu-Rays.

The Library is Your Friend

A library is a free place that you can hang out and relax. You don’t even have to worry about buying or renting any books or movies. There are plenty of free things that you can do at the library such as surf the internet and borrow movies and books. The best part is that a library card is free, so you should take advantage of having a library card.

The library is a great place for free entertainment especially if you have kids. My library often has free events for kids such as crafts, free storytime, and once there was even a free reptile show. The library is a great place that you can entertain the whole family for free.

Bid on DealDash

If you find yourself at home with nothing to do, why not spend some time on DealDash? Bids are often very inexpensive to buy, and you can even get free bids by doing small tasks such as reviewing products that you have won. If you want to entertain yourself on a budget, be sure to stop in and see what DealDash has up for bid today. That’s why they call DealDash “Shopping Entertainment”!

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You don’t have to spend a ton of money to have fun. These tips will help you choose the right activities to do all while staying on a budget. If you follow these tips you will have an unforgettable time with your friends and family.

Thanks so much for reading this DealDash article on fun and entertainment on a budget. Don’t forget to check back every day for new articles here. Also read our sister blog, DealDash Tips. We love to hear from our readers, just leave a comment down below.

Are you trying to have fun on a budget? Visit DealDash and get some shopping entertainment. Visit DealDash now to see how much you can save. Have a great time on DealDash and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Throwing a baby shower doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are some great tips from DealDash to throw a baby shower on a budget.

Baby showers are a tradition to have when you are pregnant, especially if it’s a first baby. Women in their 20s usually attend a lot of baby showers. Most women throw parties for their friends when they are pregnant. Sometimes baby showers can be expensive, but it does not have to be. Here are three tips on how to throw a baby shower on a budget for a friend or family member, from DealDash.

Create Digital Invites

Sending out invites by email is the easiest way to save money. You can even create a Facebook event and share it with your friends. All they have to do is click a button that says interested, going, or not going. You will save a lot of money by creating digital invites for your friends and family instead of using paper and stamps.

An Affordable Venue

It may be nice to rent out a nice venue or go to an expensive restaurant for a baby shower, but you can keep it simple. You can simply use your backyard and put up baby shower decorations. Having your baby shower at a park is also a good idea since guests usually bring their children. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have the perfect size venue.

If you have an actual budget for a venue and would like to keep it on the cheaper side, try renting out a room in a church or an Elks or VFW lodge. These places rent out some of the cheapest event space around.

Budget-Friendly Activites

Every baby shower has games. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on activities for your guests to play. Some games you can play are the advice jar. All you do is have each guest write down some advice for the mother to be, and she can frame it or put it in the nursery. You can use your creativity to decorate some onesies, by buying plain white onesies and craft paint. You don’t have to spend a ton on activities to have a ton of fun at the baby shower!

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Throwing a baby shower is a lot of work, but it does not have to be stressful. These three ideas will help you plan the best baby shower that you could ever have on a budget.

Thanks so much for reading this DealDash article on throwing a baby shower on a budget. Don’t forget to check back every day for new articles here. Also read our sister blog, DealDash Tips. We love to hear from our readers, just leave a comment down below.

Are you having a baby shower on a budget? Go check DealDash for baby and party items. DealDash has all of the things that you need. Visit DealDash now to see how much you can save. Have a great time on DealDash and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 13th, are you ready to treat mom? Here are some budget-friendly ideas from DealDash.

Your mom is a very important person in your life, and you should celebrate her always, but especially on Mother’s Day. From bathing to feeding you and dealing with your teenage years, your mom deserves a good Mother’s Day. Mothers are very special and deserve to be treated like a queen on Mother’s Day. If you don’t have a lot of money or if you don’t want to break the bank this Mother’s Day, here are some budget-friendly ways to treat your mom, from DealDash.

Give Her a Spa Day

If you do not want to spend any money on a fancy spa day, you can bring the spa to your mom’s home. You can make her a homemade face mask, paint her toenails, and run her a nice bubble bath. Make sure that you also include some wine or her favorite dessert. If you need a few nice things to make the spa day memorable, why not won some items from DealDash? You could get a candle, some nice spa towels, or even a sonic facial cleanser. Here’s a link so you can check it out.

Clean the House

The last thing your mom should be doing on Mother’s Day is cleaning the house. Tidy up the house by vacuuming dusting, cleaning the windows, and managing your mother’s garden. Make sure that you clean the house before your mom wakes up because it will be a good start to your Mother’s Day.

Write Her a Letter or a Poem

If you want to treat your mom on Mother’s Day without spending too much money you can write her a heartfelt letter or poem. You can list all of the things that you like about your mom or the things that you are grateful for. If you have a creative side you can write a poem by using her name and writing what each letter means. Writing something personal for your mother for Mother’s Day is the best choice when it comes to sentimental value – and is super budget-friendly!

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Mother’s Day should be a time that you reflect on how lucky you are to have a good mom. These tips will give you some ideas on ways to treat your mom on Mother’s Day on a budget. Regardless of the option that you choose, your Mother will have a memorable Mother’s Day.

I hope that this article has given you some good tips to make your mom happy. Thanks for reading the newest blog article. I hope that you found this DealDash article on a budget-friendly Mother’s Day interesting. We have a new article here on DealDash Reviewed every single day. It could be cooking, family, crafting, health, or lifestyle.

If you need spa items with free shipping DealDash has them. Check out the candles and spa towels on DealDash. DealDash has everything for your mom. Have fun on DealDash, and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. Read even more at DealDashBlog.com, DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Vacationing on a budget can be tricky. Here are some great places that won’t break the bank, from DealDash.

Everyone loves the summertime. You have beautiful weather and nice warm days. Most activities are done during the summer especially going on vacation. Most people don’t want to break the bank when it comes to choosing a vacation spot. You may think that all vacation spots are expensive, but that is not the case. Here are some affordable vacation spots for the summer, from DealDash.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is one of the most underrated vacation spots. It is perfect for a family vacation. You can discover tasty culinary treasures, explore the Andy Warhol Museum, and catch a Pirates baseball game. If you are an outdoor lover, you can go hiking on Mount Washington to watch the perfect sunset. This vacation will be exceptionally inexpensive if you are close enough to drive to eliminate the airfare and luggage fees.

Oakland, California

Oakland California gets sometimes overlooked because of other attractions in California. However, it is one of the most affordable vacation spots. It has great summer weather, beautiful neighborhoods, and family-friendly attractions. Hotels and flight costs are low compared to other destinations, so it is good to book a trip during the summertime. If you’re done with the typical California vacation of a kiddie theme park, then you should give Oakland, CA a try.

Barcelona, Spain

Finally, if you are looking for a foreign destination to go this summer, Barcelona should be your number one international vacation spot. Barcelona has great weather and short flights that are inexpensive. You can explore the culture, and enjoy the beaches. It may be crowded during the summer, but summer is the perfect time to take a trip to Barcelona. I also have it on good authority that the people in Barcelona are kind and friendly. Do yourself a favor and travel to Barcelona the next time you’re looking for a vacation outside of the states.

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These vacation spots are really fun places to go to. I hope these vacation spots will give you the perfect summer vacation. Remember to wear plenty of sunscreen and make sure that you dress cool so you will not get overheated. The next time you go on vacation, you should consider these vacation spots. You and your family will have a great time exploring a new place, even if you’re on a tight budget. If you are ready to book a vacation, be sure to check out some of these ideas from DealDash.

Thanks so much for reading this DealDash article on vacation spots for those on a budget. Don’t forget to check back every day for new articles here. Also read our sister blog, DealDash Tips. We love to hear from our readers. Leave a comment below and let us know What you’d like to read about.

DealDash bidders, do you need vacation items? Go check DealDash for travel bags and luggage. DealDash has vacation items. Visit DealDash now to see how much you can save. Have a great time on DealDash and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. This blog is written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice shared here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company. Read even more on DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

Having a hobby is important, but they can be expensive. Here are some tips to budget for your hobby, from DealDash.

When you’re a parent you should work in your budget for both you and your child to have a hobby. Why do you want to do this you might be asking? There are many beneficial reasons as to why both you and your child should have a hobby. Thus. many reasons to keep a budget for being able to do a hobby. Read on for some tips for keeping to a budget for your hobby, from DealDash.

Help Yourself

One huge reason why you should keep a budget for doing a hobby is that it will allow you to get the things that you need. This is in order to do both your hobby and your child’s hobby. You need to consider what you’ll need to do your hobby and what your child will need. Create a space in your budget so that you can buy the needed supplies and instructional materials.

Create and Destress

When you are able to budget in for a hobby for both you and your child it gives you the opportunity to be creative. This can take a lot of stress out of your lives. Being able to concentrate on something will help you become calm and experience less stress. This will make you overall happier people.

There are many hobbies that you can do that will help you relax, such as knitting or painting. For your child, it can be very calming and soothing to make and use the “slime” that is so popular with kids right now.

Get Help from Friends & Family

If you find that you need to save money on the things that a need for your hobbies you can look online for patterns for projects. Also, ask friends and family if they can donate materials to you for your hobby. You can also look for coupons and rebates on the things that you would need order to be able to do your hobby and to help your child do their hobby.

You can also often find slightly used hobby materials at yard sales around the neighborhood. Also, you can win gift cards from DealDash to help with your hobbies! Many of the “big box” stores that DealDash has gift cards for sell craft and hobby supplies.

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So if you’re thinking you don’t have time to do a hobby definitely reconsider. Also, help your child develop an interest in their own hobby so that they can enjoy the many benefits of having a hobby as well. Planning to put it in your budget for a hobby for you and your child is one of the best things you can do for both you and your child.

I hope that this article has given you some good tips to budget for a hobby. Thanks for reading the newest blog article. I hope that you found this DealDash article on budgeting interesting. We have a new article here on DealDash Reviewed every single day. It could be cooking, family, crafting, health, or lifestyle.

If you need gift cards with free shipping DealDash has them! Check out the many different DealDash gift cards available. DealDash has everything that you need or want. Treat yourself! Have fun on DealDash, and happy bidding everyone!

This sponsored DealDash blog article was written by Dawn E, a mother of 3 who loves DealDash. Dawn was compensated for writing this article. Read even more at DealDashBlog.com, DealDashTips.com, or on her own blog, DawnBlogtopus.

We are getting towards the end of summer, the next opportunity to take a fun trip might be during spring break. Let’s try to budget for a trip.

I love taking trips – from a short weekend somewhere local to a multi-week journey, count me in! However, since I have small children, things just aren’t quite as simple anymore, and we will need to budget the amount of money we plan on spending. If we don’t take the time to set up a budget beforehand and save up some extra money we might find ourselves putting things on credit cards and creating debt, which is definitely not a positive! Let’s look at how to set up a travel budget by planning the forecasted expenses for transportation, hotel, food, entertainment, and souvenirs.

The first step to saving and budgeting for a trip is of course…saving money! Open a savings account specifically for your travel plans. You can easy open up a savings account with an online bank with $100 or less. Try having a yard sale and selling off some of your extra things to get a head start on your vacation fund. You could also take on some extra jobs from home such as mowing lawns or watching children to earn a little extra cash. There is frequently a need for babysitters for elementary school children from around 3PM-6PM, when the kids get off the school bus until the parents get home from work. If you have kids the same age it might be an easy way to pick up a few extra dollars a day to put into your vacation fund. Also try to cut spending where you can, such as limiting dinners out leading up to your trip.

Frequently the most expensive part of a vacation can be the travel costs – a taxi to the airport, airfare, a taxi to the hotel, etc. For your vacation budget, include forecasted airfare, taxis, shuttle services, and any other expense related to transportation while you are away. The hardest part of this is to figure out what your airfare might cost months down the road, but try going online to research the rates for the times and destinations you are planning to travel. You can also try to see what the airfare rates were the previous year, it might help you determine what the costs will be the following year.

Budgeting for hotel expenses is similar to airfare – it’s hard to determine so far in advance. Check the hotel rates were the previous year, it might help you determine what the costs will be the following year. If your budget comes up a bit short try to think of some extra ways to get more for your money such as using online coupons, joining a hotel loyalty program that earns you free nights, or even staying at a hostel.

Finally, another huge expense for any trip is for restaurants, food, and drinks. If you are able to get a hotel that includes free breakfast you can fill up in the morning, and be able to eat a much lighter lunch. Then you only have to worry about a bigger expense for dinner. Also, try to limit your alcoholic beverages to just 1 or 2 with dinner. Some hotels even offer a free “cocktail hour” where you can get free wine, beer, and snacks.

If you’re looking to travel, you will definitely need some luggage. DealDash has some amazing luggage that you can win for a great deal. Just click on this link right here and you can check out the luggage. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Everyone wants to eat fresh and healthy foods, but sometimes that can be difficult to do on a tight budget. Here are some tips and tricks to stretch your food budget while staying healthy.

Cooking fresh and healthy foods can be very expensive. However, most people, especially those with small kids to feed want to cook as healthily as possible. Sometimes cuts of lean meat and buying fresh fruits and veggies instead of canned ones can almost double your grocery bill. Luckily, there are ways to stretch that budget and make great healthy choices as well.

One great way to save money and boost your health as well is to use less meat in your cooking. Meat is usually the most expensive item on the menu, so if you are able to cut the portions of meat in your cooking by half then you will be able to save quite a bit of money.

Depending on what you are cooking it’s easy to substitute half of the meat that is called for in a recipe with beans, such as when you are making chili, stews, or even skillet dinners. If you like to make stir fry, take out half of the chicken that you would normally use and put in a block of tofu instead. Tofu has no taste, it takes on the flavors of what it’s cooked with. If you are making a stir fry and using seasonings such as garlic and soy sauce, that’s exactly what your tofu will taste like.

Another great way to save money, be healthy, and have some fun as well is to have breakfast for dinner! Breakfast foods such as eggs, wheat toast, unsweetened cereals (such as Cheerios), orange juice, and milk are all healthy and relatively inexpensive. Last year when there was a shortage of eggs this wouldn’t have been a good idea, but now my local supermarket always has a dozen eggs for .99! Kids always love to have breakfast for dinner. For added fun, let them change into their PJs for dinner!

My last suggestion to you today is instead of buying fresh seafood at the seafood counter go ahead and buy frozen seafood. Frozen seafood is put on ice and frozen immediately after being caught, so it tastes just as fresh as “fresh” seafood from the fish counter, and it’s almost always significantly cheaper.

I hope that these tips were helpful for you in thinking about how to cook and eat healthy foods on a budget. If you’re in need of anything for the kitchen or the home be sure to check out DealDash. They have everything you can possibly need, from kitchen implements to massage chairs! Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

How is your summer going so far? We’re done with the 4th of July, the next big holiday is Labor Day on Monday, September 5th. Let’s make the most of the summer before it’s over!

Have you and your family made any fun day trips yet this summer? Depending on where you live there are most likely many fun places that you can go to spend the day, feel like you had a little vacation, but not spend money on plane tickets or hotels. There are lots of fun places that you can visit that don’t have to break the budget. If you have small kids all the way up to teenagers amusement parks like 6 Flags, King’s Dominion, Busch Gardens, or even smaller local theme parks are always a hit.

If you and you family are more outdoorsy than thrill-seekers, then maybe you could take a trip to a local beach, lake, or pond and have a picnic, then break out the kites for some high-flying family fun or the kayaks for some fun in the water. If time by the water isn’t your thing, how about a hike on some local trails or a family bike ride on your town’s bike path, or even around your neighborhood?

Another fun family activity that is fun and can save you money as well is visiting your local farmer’s markets. I live in New England where the towns are so close together I could easily pass through 3 different towns in 15 minutes, which is a great thing if we are talking about farmer’s markets. Each of the 3 different towns has their own separate farmer’s markets that are held on different days. Some of the farmer’s markets are better than others, offering face painting and balloons for the kids, but all of them have great deals on freshly grown produce, honey, and other artisan products.

If you’re going to go out and have some fun this summer I suggest that you visit DealDash first. DealDash has lots of fun things for the summer in their Hobbies, Toys, Outdoors, and Games category. If you click on this link right here it will take you to DealDash and you can browse all of the exciting deals that are going on today and in the future. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

It’s important to keep a budget when shopping on DealDash and be willing to walk away.

It is very easy to get caught up in the fast pace environment of a Deal Dash auction. Especially when you browse the winners page and you see great items being won for great prices. But it is also very important to remember that you don’t always win, so it is a good idea to have a budget in mind.

When you buy your bids, keep in mind the amount of money you have spent on them. In the end you have to add the cost of the bids to the amount of the item. There are times when it is not worth it so it is very important to have a limit set in your mind for each and every auction you enter.

I know this can be difficult, especially when the item is won only a few bids after you drop. However if you set a limit it will save you money. There is no point in putting 35 bids in to a 40 bid pack. When you add up the cost of your bids, you are paying more than the bid pack is worth. Remember this for the bigger items as well. If you put 500 bids into a great computer, and you still have not won it, you have to be able and willing to take the 500 bid loss, and walk away or use the DealDash Buy it Now option to purchase the item at full price and get your bids back. Before I enter any auction, I figure out the amount of money I am willing to lose, and walk away if I don’t win or then use the Buy it Now. That’s how I’ve been successful bidding on Deal Dash.